


For Them All Together

by sheroars



Category: Broadchurch
Genre: Case Work, Character studies, Detectives Club, Developing Relationship, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Family, Mind the Rating, Stress and Coping
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-07-12
Updated: 2016-08-09
Packaged: 2018-07-23 13:01:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,901
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7464243
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sheroars/pseuds/sheroars
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sequel to Chaos </p><p>A reopened cold case in Darbyville brings Ellie Miller back in the policing game.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Set Up

"What are you going on about?  I quit."  Ellie sighed, pushing her empty beer bottle into the sand next to them.  Alec continued brushing sandwich crumbs off the quilt they were lounging on.  

"Would you at least take a look at the file?"  She finally stopped frowning.   

"Do you really need my help that badly?"  Her shoulder bumped into his, suddenly teasing.  

"The new D.S. is a tosser.  I need a fresh pair of eyes from someone who won't bloody parrot everything I say."  

"So you do miss working with me."

"I do not."  He stretched out fully on the blanket, arms folded underneath his head rather stubbornly.  

"Knob."  She huffed, squinting down the coast and their strip of nearly deserted beach.  Tom and Daisy were still in the ocean.  Fred was sitting happily in the shallows molding wet sand in bigger, taller clods of wet sand.  The sun set was casting oranges and pinks across the horizon.  A hand tugged none-too-gently at the hem of her tee shirt.  The pull didn't relent till she was down on his chest.  She settled and curled up against him, hitching a leg over his.

Hardy had moved in three months ago.  He got himself promoted to Detective Inspector at Darbyville fairly quickly after settling in.  At the start he was the youngest man in the office.  In addition to playing landlord for the house back in Broadchurch, Ellie had gotten herself a part time job at Fred's old daycare.  The little lad would be off to primary school in the fall.  Daisy had just arrived last week to spend the summer with them.  She and Tom had both finished a strong year of school.  Everyone remained unmolested by their respective ex-spouses.  The existence of the Hardy-Miller conglomerate had taken a downright peaceful turn.  

"Are you working through the weekend then?"  Ellie asked quietly, releasing a deeply relaxed exhale as he brought a hand down to move stray hair behind her ear.  

"I don't need to go in.  I've got two officers running the ground work.  I need to phone in a press release and schedule some interviews..."  She felt his chest tense under her cheek, discomfort evident.  "I hate reopening old cases."  

"I know."  She lifted her chin to see his face.  His eyes were closed but his brow was furrowed.  "I'll take a look at it tonight, after Fred's in bed."  He rubbed a hand up and down her back briskly in thanks.  

The rapidly approaching crunching sound should have been fair warning but neither paid any mind till a very heavy, damp, and slightly sandy spider monkey had dog-piled on top of them both.

"FRED!"  Ellie shrieked as all the air left their lungs.

"Oi! Jesus..."  Hardy groaned as the weight tripled.  Daisy casually stretched out over them all.  Somewhere above them Tom shook his hair out like a dog.

"Oh my god I can't breathe."  Ellie gasped through a laugh.  

"What do you want?"  Hardy was trying desperately to hide his amusement.  

"Some 99s, a ride home, and the Netflix password." Daisy snorted, finally rolling off to the side.  

"YAH,"  Fred roared his agreement as Tom hauled him up over his shoulder fireman style.     

"Fine.  Pack up the car."  Hardy shooed them off and helped Ellie up.  She attempted to fix her hair as Fred's beach toys were shoved in a net bag and dinner trash was disposed of.  

 

~

 

"What do you mean by that? Reopening the case?  Is there new evidence?"  

"Yah.  I think so."  Two young women sat on the back stoop of their house.  One put her arms around the other with a sigh, pressing her lips to her cheek.  

"What did they tell you, baby?  You've been jumpy all night."  

"They found a woman in Darbyville, just like Harriet.  She isn't dead yet though, she's in the hospital.  They said the details were...exact."

"Jesus.  I'm so fucking sorry."

"It's okay, love.  I'm okay.  They need me to come in on Monday to be sure.  Me and some others."  

"Bloody madness.  Here in Darbyville, of all places?"

"They don't think she's from here."  

"Wait...so if it's him then-"

"We don't know anything yet.  Not until Monday, okay?"  The other woman nodded agreement, rapidly blinking away tears.  

"Fancy a cuppa?  I put the kettle on a minute ago." As if cued, riotous laughter from three small humans came spilling out from inside the house.  "Aaaaand the little monsters are up again."  The women laughed lightly and ran sleeves under eyes as they stood.       

"It's Friday.  Don't be a killjoy.  I'll put on a movie and they'll be out in an hour."  

"Anything but fucking Frozen again."  

"I want a divorce."

"Oh shut up."  

 

~

 

A sand-free Fred barely kept his eyes open past eight.  Tom and Daisy were left to bicker over what movies to binge on while Ellie put the youngest to bed.  Thus settled, she found Hardy sitting in the middle of their bed with three files that were more than a few inches thick each.

"So- top down what's the summary?"  She knelt in front of him and hesitantly prodded the first case file.  It had been ages since she touched one.  As he started talking he let his fingers run back and forth over her knee.    

"Between 2005 and 2012 three identical strangulations popped up in Dorset, Bath, and London.  The victims were two women and one man, all just twenty or twenty one years of age with dark hair and at least one tattoo.  All bodies were placed, fully dressed, on the back steps of local Episcopal churches with notes pinned to their shirts.  He wrote poetry, but those details were rather morbid and never released to the press.  The private nick name among the police departments was Shakespeare.  He was clean too.  Detectives could never pin point original crime scenes or motives or process outside of what they could get off autopsy reports.  All three cases were closed."

"Jesus,"  

"So, last night the minister at the Episcopal church in Darbyville found a young woman in the parking lot and rushed her to the hospital.  She's barely alive.  They found a strange note pinned to her jumper so they called us in.  Donahue was the first out.  He was working beats when the 2005 murder sent Bath into a panic.  Now we're here."  Ellie examined side-by-side photocopies of the notes.    

"They look identical to me."  

"We have an forensic something or whatever examining the handwriting.  I should have a confirmation Monday.  I have officers working on identifying our mystery girl.  Doctor doesn't know if she'll ever wake up.  I contacted all the victim's families this morning.  We're a bit stalled and...overwhelmed at the moment."  

"Understandably so,"  She flicked through grainy crime scene photos and winced.  

"You're tired.  We don't have to do this now."  He caught the change in her posture and bit down on his lip.  She nodded agreement, trying to shake the brutal images off.  Once you're out of the habit, you're certainly out of the habit.  He dropped everything carelessly on the floor by his dresser.  

"Sorry," 

"S'okay.  I'm already sick of looking at it."  She flopped on her back next to him.  They stared at the ceiling.  He reached for her hand and laced their fingers idly, grip so tight she could feel their pulses in her fingers.    

"Looks like a rough one."

"Aye.  Did you work this morning?"  She was quietly thankful for the abrupt topic change.  He was getting pretty adept at reading her lately.  

"I did, for a few hours.  It was quiet today.  Really nice.  Tracy brought around her new baby."

"I thought you didn't like Tracy."

"Not at all.  I just got some morbid satisfaction out of it today.  The baby's...not a pretty one."  

"What?"  Hardy barked out a laugh.  

"He's like- five months old and still super red and angry."  She giggled freely, reaching for her phone and pulling up Instagram.  The most recent photo made them both laugh more.    

"Damn." Hardy swore, propping himself up over her and draping an arm across her waist.  For a moment he looked seriously concerned. "If he's this ugly now..."  

"Oh my god.  You're terrible.  Worse than me."  She wiped mirthful tears.  

"I'm a renaissance painting compared to that gremlin."  He shrugged nonchalantly as she laughed again and shook her head disbelievingly.  

"Alec prettier-than-a-baby Hardy?"  He kissed her to shut her up before she could make up anything else.  She tugged on his lower lip possessively and he groaned appreciatively.  "Kids are gonna be up late tonight." She mumbled apologetically, between kisses.  He sucked in a breath and let off gently, pressing his face into her neck.  

"This week is going to be fucking awful."

"What can I do?"  He leaned up enough to kiss her again.    

"Just this is good."                


	2. Approach

Criminology was a family hobby sometimes.  

It should have disturbed the hell out of the heads of household, but tonight it softened the edges of the anxiety surrounding the case, going at it a bit like a game of Cluedo on a Sunday afternoon.  Ellie was good about keeping crime scene photos hidden anyway.  Hardy was currently pacing the hallway of the second floor, dictating the first press release to the media liaison.  Tom was lying on the floor of his bedroom with the door open, idly flipping through some old English textbooks and shouting out random tidbits about Shakespeare that might be of interest to a serial killer.  Back in the master bedroom Daisy was shouting back what she thought was interesting while reading out Ellie's bullet point notes so she could transfer them to a growing, color coded timeline of Post-Its up on the wall.  She had just finished annotating all the case files earlier that day.  Fred was just sitting on the bed coloring.  

"Okay.  Right.  That should do it.  Any progress on the ID?  Alright...I'll be in at 8 tomorrow.  I want the task force in the conference room by 9.  We'll start there."  He hung up and joined the girls and Fred, sitting on the floor next to his daughter.  They giggled at his bewildered expression as he took in the neon mural spanning nearly all of the bedroom wall.    

"It's easy Dad.  Green is for Rosalyn George.  Yellow is for Devon Shane.  Blue is Harriet James and pink is Jane Doe.  The cross over details like the notes and the tattoos are on white but the highlighted bits match up with the original murders."  

"Does all your schoolwork look like this?" 

"Shut up.  It's all Ellie's research.  I just fixed the color system."  Fred clambered off the bed and slipped down in Hardy's lap.  

"Mummy colored on the wall, Awec."  

"She's allowed, lad."  Ellie snickered.  Tom nearly tripped over his own feet he came in so quickly.  

"The last poem is way different."  

"What?"

"The first three are Shakespearean and the last is Petrarchan."  Ellie immediately began laughing.  

"All that browbeating to get you to pass English and now you're being helpful." Tom rolled his eyes and handed over his textbook.  He had bookmarked several spots.  Ellie was visibly impressed.  

"It's legit."

"We should start a P.I. firm after this." Daisy elbowed her father.  

"So far you're certainly more competent than my task force." Hardy shrugged.  

"Can we get takeaway tonight?" Tom crossed his arms, apparently finished for the night.  

"I'll drive!" Daisy tossed the legal pad aside.  

"PIZZA pizza." Fred agreed.    

"You can take my car."  Ellie replied distractedly, still reading through Tom's notes.  

"No mushrooms this time." Alec shouted after the kids as they scrambled off together for a little car trip, the door slamming barely a minute later.  He relocated to the edge of the bed as Ellie finished adding the bits about the sonnets to the wall and took a step back.  

"This should get you started, yah?"  

"Absolutely."  He reached for the belt loop of her jeans and pulled till she was leaning back on him, between his legs.  He nosed her pony tail out of the way to kiss the back of her neck.  

"I just finished explaining petechial hemorrhaging to your teenager and my toddler." He was undeterred, squeezing her hips firmly.  

"Bonding."  She turned around and dropped the book on the floor to kiss him properly.  He deepened it at the same time he grasped the top of one of her thighs and then the other, bringing her to straddle position.  

"And that gets you going now?"  She mumbled as his mouth fell to her throat and his hands ran up her ribcage, under her shirt.  

"Shut up."  His attention was completely absorbed elsewhere.  She relented enthusiastically, sliding her fingers into his hair and biting her lip as he teased the crotch seam of her trousers with his fingers and mouthed at her jaw.  

"Yah.  Okay,"  She laughed breathlessly into the next kiss, running her tongue along his.  They did little else but move trousers and undergarments out of the way to get lost in the heady warmth of the moment.  The burn in her thighs was entirely worth the impending hard and fast release.  He sucked lightly at the top of her breast as she came and continued to stroke her clit through his own orgasm.  

"Nice,"  He exhaled into her shoulder, already sounding incredibly blissed out.  She snorted.  

"Ugh.  Wanker."  They kissed lazily before she pushed off wobbly and dodged into the bathroom to clean up.  He laid back on the bed after straightening his clothes.  He watched her take down her ponytail and put up a bun.  "Have you heard anything about an ID?"

"Hmmm?"

"Focus.  Case.  Jane Doe.  Anywhere close on an ID?" She repeated.  He groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose, coming out of his stupor.   

"No missing persons reports have been filed in Darbyville so they've widened the scope  They're sifting through surrounding police reports for possible matches."  

"So she may not be from where she was dumped.  That's unusual too- like the sonnet."  She leaned on the doorjamb and buttoned her shirt again.  

"You're still pink."

"Am I?  Shit."  She ran the tap and gave her face a wash before perching on the bed next to him again, kicking her feet and scanning the wall again.  "You're really in for it.  What are you doing tomorrow?" 

"I have conferences with a former husband, a set of parents, and a sister from the cold cases.  Then I'll probably be pulling teeth to track down the original detectives for any more details and CCTV footage.  You're right though...we're fucked if we can't ID the girl."  She gave his knee a sympathetic squeeze.   

"Have the Doctor's given you anything more?"

"Still wildly unpredictable.  Her heart's functioning well enough but she still needs breathing assistance."  A door opened and shut downstairs, breaking their solitude.  He sighed and sat up.  "I'll be off early tomorrow."  She took his hand and pulled him downstairs.    

"You won't miss much around here.  I think Daisy and I might do a bit of shopping."

"Yah we are!"  The girl confirmed enthusiastically from the kitchen as she got plates out.   Fred was already shoving a breadstick in his mouth as Tom put him in a chair at the table.  

"Trust me, I'd rather be holding shopping bags outside of Forever 22."  

"21."  Everyone corrected him at once, in unison.                                             


	3. Details

There were only a few cars in the lot at eight in the morning, as expected.  The black BMW in the back corner caught his attention.  Two people were sitting on the hood, looking nervously at him as he parked.  The young black woman was smoking and fidgeting with her white uniform, a toque sitting next to her.  She had her free arm around another woman who was dressed a bit more casually, she had an apron over black jeans and a tee shirt.  She looked very much like one of the pictures Hardy had been staring at all weekend.  They were three hours early for the meeting.  He approached.  They stood quickly, one throwing away the other's cigarette.    

"I'm Alec Hardy.  Hope you haven't been waiting long."  

"Our fault anyway.  Gail James."  She shook his hand, still visibly nervous.  

"Harriet's sister,"  Hardy nodded.    

"This is uh- my wife. Clara Akuna.  I was hoping you might see us now, we called into work earlier than expected."

"Of course, yeah.  Come in."  The station was only just beginning to come to life, the hallways still oddly quiet.  "So...where do you work?" He fought a cringe at his own attempt at small talk.  The women seemed unperturbed.  

"The Grandine, just up the road.  We're on the day crews.  I run the kitchens, Gail keeps the bar."  Of all the places to have a luxury hotel, you wouldn't peg little Darby town- population 3000.  It was extremely popular with city escapists however and the restaurant was delicious.  Ellie dragged him there to celebrate his promotion not two months ago.       

"Excellent.  So you live here in Darbyville?"  

"Yes sir, just up the street.  Best schools and all." He bid them to sit in his office.  He grabbed a few water bottles from the break room before shutting the door behind him.  

"You have children?" Clara nodded and smiled.  

"Three of 'em."  Hardy had obviously not covered his surprise.  He got some amused looks.  The women looked barely twenty.

"Mind me asking how old you are?" 

"I'm 21.  Clara's 24.  We foster.  We took in a set of triplets last year."  Gail laughed lightly before sobering again rather quickly.  Clara reached for her hand.  "So what can I tell you?  The officer that contacted me just told me another girl was found, she's in the hospital?"

"Yes.  We're currently working to identify her.  We don't believe she lives here, but the details we've discovered so far are nearly identical to those of your sister and the other victims.  I want to find out if we're dealing with the same criminal or not.  We can't draw any conclusions just yet.  Some aspects of this attack don't match, so this very well may be a clever copy."

"Of course.  You have the case file then?"

"Yes.  I have the initial transcripts of all the interviews in 2012, but there are some notes missing.  I found several gaps when it came to your family.  You were sharing a flat in London.  Were you living alone with your sister at the time?"

"We had another flatmate, a friend of Harriet's.  Jessica Stein-something.  We weren't that close.  My sister had just shouldered full custody of me.  I was sixteen.  Our father was never in the picture and our mother was an alcoholic.  I was going to school and Harriet was working full time at the British Museum.  She was a research assistant."  

"You maintained that nothing was out of the ordinary."  She nodded.    

"I still do.  It was Friday.  She went to work.  I took the bus home from school and crashed in the flat, I was getting over a flu so I was exhausted.  She texted me to say she was getting drinks with a friend, told me she would bring me dinner.  That was never unusual.  She knew a lot of people in London.  I went to bed early.  When I woke up the next morning she wasn't home, so I was worried.  She didn't answer her phone for me or Jessica.  Jessica drove me to the police station on her way to work.  They wouldn't let me make a report till later in the day so I sat down in their lobby and waited.  Called Harriet's phone every hour on the hour.  They found her body that night on the back steps of an Episcopal church I had never heard of.  I was still sitting in the police station when they asked me to look at a photo...and it was her."  She shrugged.  "Just back to back like that.  It still doesn't seem real."  

"You never pointed a finger.  The reports say you were, understandably, very confused and distraught."  Gail glanced at Clara sheepishly.  

"I was volatile.  They even questioned me for a minute but Jessica and the neighbors gave me a solid alibi.  I don't remember much afterwards.  I was brought to a mental health facility somewhere in the country to recover before I was put in foster care."  

"Where was that?"

"Liverpool.  There was a family that specialized in uh...not so stable teenagers.  It was good.  I finished school strong.  At that time I was notified that Harriet's case had gone cold.  Any amount of evidence could open it again, but they were moving on.  I grieved all over again and tried moving out to London once I was of age.  I met Clara.  We have our life here now."

"Were you aware that law enforcement was attempting to track a serial killer?" 

"No,"

"Have you ever been approached by anybody since then about case details?  Press, police, anyone?"

"One journalist from some online publication interviewed me last year for a piece on the families around unsolved murder cases.  Cameron Leeds with _Law's Legacy_.  He said he found me through a retired case worker.  I recognized the name.  The questions were pretty surface value so I wasn't put off or anything."

"Have you seen the finished project?"  

"No.  Clara read it."  

"I have it.  It only came out this year.  Pretty heavy reading, 50 pages I think.  I only managed the bits about Gail." Clara pulled a folder out of her purse and handed it over.  

"Excellent.  This is more than enough for now, I'll let you get it work.  I'll be in touch as often as I can till I see this through."  

"Can I ask-?" Clara sucked in a breath as they stood.  "If the girl in the hospital isn't from Darbyville...if it is the same person doing these killings...we're the only family living here right?" Gail blinked back tears and leaned into her wife's side.  

"I can sit a plain clothes patrolman outside your house tonight."  

"Bless.  Thank you so much."  

"Thank you sir."  He saw the women out.  

Hardy barely had time to process the new information.  He was ten minutes late to his nine am meeting.  He presented the timeline to the four person task force and got them working.  One was interviewing the minister that discovered the body later that morning.  The other three were still working ceaselessly to identify Jane Doe.  At eleven he spoke with the former husband of Rosalyn George and the parents of Devon Shane.  The stories were eerily similar to Gail's.  Nothing was at all unusual, until their loved one disappeared for 24 hours and showed up dead one night at the back door of a church.  Each admitted to speaking to a journalist here or there, working on stories like the one currently sitting on his desk.  Nobody knew about the serial nature of the crimes till seeing media coverage.  Nobody spoke, or even seemed to know, about the sonnets.    

At twelve he finally made it back to his office.  His phone buzzed with a text message.  He cracked a smile.

\--- _El and I are bring you lunch in 5.  Free for a break?_  

A peak out the office window confirmed it was time for a breather.  Everyone in the bullpen was pitching their lunch orders at the secretary.  He didn't have another meeting until one, the criminal profiler assigned to the murderers in 2012 was due to call.    

\--- _All yours for 20_

In a matter of minutes a spike of laughter in the bullpen spiked his attention.  From what he could see something fast and low moving to the ground was making its way towards his office door.  Fred pushed open the door with one hand.  He had a brown paper bag under his other arm that was nearly as big as he was.  

"We gots sandwiches Awec!"

"Hello," He snickered and helped out the littlest of his company.  Daisy kissed his cheek and dropped some drinks on his desk.  Ellie was stalled briefly by some small talk with one of the secretaries.    

"We got all the favorites from Addy's Deli."  

"You're an angel."  

"It was Fred's idea actually."  She flopped into one of his chairs with a grin.  He scooped up Fred very seriously.  

"Thank yah lad.  It's been a tough one."  

"Catch any bad guys yet, Awec?"   

"Not yet, got any ideas?" He pointed to the bulletin board recreation of the timeline.    

"Mum,"  

"What did she do now?"  

"Hello to you too." Ellie closed the door behind her and accepted a cheek kiss.  Hardy watched her with open amusement as they all sat down to eat.  Daisy settled Fred with his food while Ellie began flipping through his new notes and the file Clara had given him.    


	4. Leads

Hardy didn't leave the office till eight.

By the time he stumbled over the threshold Fred had been in bed an hour and Tom and Daisy were beginning the retreat upstairs to lock themselves in for the night.  He found Ellie sitting at the kitchen island with two files, a highlighter, and her laptop.  Without looking up or greeting him she pointed to the computer screen.   

"I think I've got something interesting." 

"Did you take these from my office?" He raised an eyebrow.   

"I think all of the victim's families spoke to the same reporter, but he doesn't exist." 

"Hold on, hold on."  He groaned and pulled up a stool beside her, putting his glasses back on.  

"The names and publications you were given don't actually exist.  They don't show up on any internet searches, except for  _Law's Legacy_.  The one Harriet's sister talked too.  It's more like low quality forum for people interested in law and police work.  I called their editor and they've never had anyone named Cameron Leeds on payroll.  They had a ten person writing team that he knows by name.  "

"Then how-?"

"How was is published?"  She finally looked up and smiled,  "The website is complete shit.  Anybody with a basic understanding of coding and graphic design could recreate the format, myself included.  And look here...I read the whole bloody thing.  Besides the excessively bad punctuation you'll find direct quotations from all of the families of the Shakespeare Strangler and what appears to be intimate knowledge of the case.  It's buried pretty deep.  The first twenty pages prattle on about some other cases so one would hardly be paying attention by the time they get to the real interviews.  I've been trying to find this story online but since it wasn't actually on the _Legacy_ website it's been pretty tough to track down.  Cameron Leeds is also apparently a painfully common name in the UK."  

"Brilliant you are," She let out a long sigh as he slipped a hand around her waist and kissed her jaw, cheek, and temple.  

"I got a little bored.  Did you get anywhere this afternoon?" He huffed again and dropped his forehead to her shoulder.  

"No.  We caught a domestic violence dispute around two.  Had to book a husband and wife, their siblings, and their parents.  Half of them were drunk and silly and the other half was bruised up and bleeding.  A neighbor is in the hospital without his left ear.  Nobody could work out who hit who..."  

"Lovely,"  She swiveled in her seat as he straightened again, just in time for his phone to ring.  He mindlessly put it on speaker. 

"Hardy."

"It's Donahue, sir.  We got our girl.  Louise Hugo.  There's no missing persons report  on file but we emailed the photos we had to as many patrolmen as we could, got an ID out of Bath.  She's a homeless youth, so we don't know much, but we've sent Oscar and Emily over to get as much information as possible."  

"Excellent work.  I'll need you and Holmes in my office at nine tomorrow.  I've got a lead on the journalist."  

"Can do.  Goodnight."  Ellie giggled at the hang up, shutting her laptop and stacking papers up again.  

"He's short."  

"I like him.  He's no nonsense."  

"You're all nonsense.  Tea?"

"Yeah."  He watched her put the kettle on and take down some mugs.  

"Homeless.  That's different too.  The other victims were so...well off."

"Think it might be a different guy then?"  He shrugged and stared off into the distance awhile.  "Would you come in with me tomorrow?" She started.  

"Why?"  He shrugged again.

"It's your work."  He gestured vaguely to her notes.  She leaned on the counter and crossed her arms, fighting a little blush.    

"It's definitely your work.  I'm just catching what you missed.  With a google search, I might add."  

"It would have taken me several days to get around to this lead, Ellie.  You've been working again whether you like it or not."

"I don't like it."  

"You're lying."  She pulled a face, making him smirk as he got up and boxed her in with his arms.  "It's not a bad thing." 

"I quit for a reason, last time I checked."  

"Last time I checked you were top of your game."  He kissed her firmly.  She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed her cheek to his shoulder, slightly moping.  He rocked back and wrapped his arms around her.    

"I don't want to be a cop." It came out a little pouty and it made them both smile wryly.    

"You don't have to be.  I can bring you in as a consultant.  Everyone already knows your name."

"Not for the reasons you're thinking.  Why are you so keen on this?"  She slipped out of his arms to pour and steep their tea.  

"I could always use the help...and I'm not convinced you don't want to help." He teased, loosening his tie.  "Just a thought."  

"Tosser."  

"So I've been told."  

"Have you eaten yet?"

"No."  

"Sit."  He let her fuss and change the topic of conversation as they shared leftover lasagna.  The rundown of her day with Daisy was much more interesting anyway.          


	5. Relentless

"Whatcha doin?"  Daisy sock skated into the kitchen, up and awake surprisingly early.  It was only just seven and Ellie was still in her robe, sitting at the counter with a laptop again.  Alec was fidgeting with his tie and waiting for the coffee pot.  The teenager had shoes in hand and was dressed for some early morning exercising.    

"Morning love, just grammar checking another press release."  Daisy hooked her chin over Ellie's shoulder to read along.  She shot her father a look.    

"Were you fully awake when you wrote this?"  Ellie giggled.    

"What?  Our PR liaison is sick.  Not my usual job." He gruffed.  

"This is all like...one sentence.  And there's about four different spellings of this poor girl's name.   _L-o-u-e-z-e_ is probably the closest you got."  Alec shrugged defensively and poured himself of thermos for the day.  "So this is the mystery girl?  Louise.  Poor thing.  Is she getting any better?"    

"Dunno.  I'm going to the hospital this afternoon though..." He trailed off as he got distracted with his phone.  The girls exchanged amused expressions.  Daisy stole a sip of his coffee and shoved her feet into her trainers without lacing them.  

"Good.  See you later."  She kissed them both on the cheek and was out the back door after grabbing a water bottle.  Ellie clicked around awhile longer.  

"Okay, this is good now.  I sent it back to you."  In lieu of a verbal thank-you he kissed her exposed shoulder and scanned the new press statement.  

"I like it.  I gotta get going.  I think Gail James and her family spent the night at the station."

"I'm sorry, _you think_?  What happened?"  

"I just got a vague text from bloody Donahue."  He handed her his phone.  

\--- _Slight issue with the Jameses.  They've been here with me.  Need shift change._

"Christ...they're the ones in Darbyville, yah?  With kids?"  He nodded.  "Give me ten minutes." 

"You're coming?"

"If they spent the night with Donahue they're going to need a buffer before they talk to you."  

"What the hell does that mean?"  

Ellie got dressed and left a note on the kitchen counter for Tom and Daisy.  Neither of the Miller boys tended to stir before nine anyway.  Ellie insisted on a stop at a diner between the house and the station and loaded a few takeaway boxes with breakfast food.  The car park and the bullpen were practically empty aside from the six very tired human beings in Hardy's office.  Donahue spotted them first, quickly unlocking the door and letting them in.  Three little blond headed children were buried under jackets and blanks on the couch.  Clara and Gail were perched on the chairs in front of the desk.  Neither them nor Donahue looked to have gotten a minute of sleep.    

"What happened?"  

"I was walking out around midnight sir, call came across the radio for a break in.  I recognized the address from your protection order.  Somebody broke the window in the downstairs bedroom where the lil ones were sleeping.  The scene took awhile to process.  I brought them here a few hours ago."

"Where the hell was Carmichael?  He was supposed to sit all night."  

"Walked off for a piss and a cigarette sir."

"Tell him he's suspended without pay till further notice.  Go home."

"Yes sir.  Ma'am." He rushed out.  The young women stood on wobbly knees to shake Hardy's hand.  

"I'm Ellie.  Thought you might be hungry."  One of the blond haired children sat up like a ramrod, nodding his head.  The adults couldn't help but snort.  

"Thank you so much, they wouldn't let us take anything from the house besides the baby bags..."  Gail put the little boy her hip and kissed the sleep creases etched into his chubby cheek.  

"Who do we have here?" Ellie smiled and returned his shy little wave.    

"Gideon," Clara carefully woke the other two, another boy and a little girl.  "And that's Scott and Jane."  They all had the same dark eyes and freckles.  Ellie helped them portion out some scrambled eggs, fruit, and milk.  Though woken quickly, the three were painfully quiet and visibly nervous.  They crowded into the laps of their foster mothers on the floor.  Ellie joined them to ease some of the tension, handing the women hot oatmeal and coffee.  Hardy pulled up a chair and leaned forward, elbows on his knees, face already dark.    

"If this lovely woman your wife, Mr. Hardy?  You're better off than we thought."  Clara mustered some humor.  

"Not quite."  Ellie managed to not turn pink.  

"You've got some gorgeous kids between the two of you anyways."  Gail gestured to the lone framed photo on the desk above them.  "Is three as unlucky as we've been told?"  

"Nah.  Just chaotic." Hardy covered smoothly.

"How old are they?"  Ellie pulled some egg out of Scott's curls.  He smiled shyly down into his plate.

"Just turned four last week, didn't we?"  The triplets nodded slowly, preoccupied with putting food into their mouthes.  Clara dropped her temple to Gail's shoulder tiredly.      

"Tell me what happened." Hardy started quietly.    

"Mess."  Jane croaked, little brow furrowed.  "Made big mess in our wroom."  

"That's no good."  Ellie mimicked her face.  The little girl gained courage and nodded agreement.  "Were you trying to sleep?"  

"Yeah.  That's why I didn't see it."  

"Were your ears working?"  

"Uh-huh,"  Gideon contributed.  

"Can you tell us what you heard?"  

"Crash.  And then lots of little boooooms."  Scott drawled, earning nods from his siblings.  

"We got a two bedroom cottage."  Clara cleared her throat, sitting up again and holding on Jane and Scott tightly for a moment.  "They've got a big bay window that faces the backyard.  Somebody must have jumped the fence and threw a couple of bricks through the glass.  Kids woke up screaming bloody murder.  We were still up in the lounge, thank god..." Gail nodded.  

"Clara ran outside with a cricket bat as soon as I got the kids upstairs and away from the windows.  That Carmichael guy came running from up the street when he heard her yelling.  They didn't find anyone.  Or at least, they didn't tell us they found anyone.  I think our neighbors called 999 because suddenly our house was full of people."  

"Do you have any reason to suspect...anyone?"  Hardy asked carefully.  The women shook their heads.  

"We have a lot of friends here.  Our family has never been met with any resistance." Gail continued, blinking back tears.  

"Aside from the odd whisper here and there at the church of course.  We've never felt unsafe in Darbyville...not until this mystery girl showed up." Clara cleared her throat.    

"Do you have a place to stay for a few days?  The hotel maybe?"

"Absolutely.  We've got some personal time to take anyway."  

"Good.  I'll see you there myself since I can't seem to land a reliable patrolman.  Your house will probably be cleared this afternoon but I want you to stay out for a few days just to be sure.  I really wish I could tell you more at the moment, but I don't believe in coincidence."  

"GG...what's co-in-ce-dent?"  Jane whispered quietly.  

"Lots of weird little things are happening, darling.  We gotta find out if they mean something bad, or if they were just accidents.  Make sense?"  All three children nodded.  

"You've been very brave.  Thank you for your help."  They smiled at Ellie, "I'll catch a ride out to your place.  Tell me what I can bring you."  Gail pressed her hand, momentarily speechless for the generosity.  

"Clothes for sure...and the stuffed animals off the beds in their room if you can."       

"I'm going to kiss your wife on the mouth, Mr. Hardy."  Clara sighed.  The children shrieked with laughter at the Detective Inspector's initial scandalized expression.    

"Oi!"  Gail elbowed her partner after laughing.  

"Don't push your luck Ms. Akuna."  Hardy recovered, the mood significantly lightened.  The women gathered the children and their belongings, taking them down to the lobby in preparation to leave.  They were all due for a proper nap.  The three little ones waved goodbye over the shoulders of their caregivers.    

"You're doing it again."  Hardy quickly scanned through several new papers on his desk before reaching for his car keys.

"Doing what?"  Ellie tossed the breakfast trash in the bin.  

"Policing."

"Shut up.  I'm not.  They just need some help and you certainly can't do it and solve the bloody thing at the same time." He shrugged.    

"I still need to go to the hospital, and now I've got to figure out this mess.  Can you take the task force briefing on the journalism lead?"  

"If I didn't know better, you might have planned this."  She crossed her arms.  

"It's just phone calls.  I've got two officers in Bath digging up information on Louise.  Donahue is sleeping off a double shift so he'll just need an email.  The last one might pop in here later wondering where everyone is.  I don't remember his name..."  

"Shit.  You're a mess.  Fine.  I'm leaving after that though."  The relief that flashed across his face helped with the bad taste in her mouth.  He crossed the room and grabbed her chin, kissing her quickly.  "Don't push your luck Hardy."  She parroted before kissing him back.  "You owe me.  Seriously."  

"Counted on it."  

"Get out."  She gave him a push.  He cracked a smile and shut the door behind him.  She flopped moodily into his office chair and turned his computer on.  The picture frame just next to the monitor caught her eye.  It was a grainy picture of just her and all three kids, taken from behind while walking along the beach from some long forgotten weekend visit with Daisy.  No wonder they thought she was bloody married to him.  The computer finally booted up.  His screen saver was one of Daisy's many selfies.  Fred was under her chin making the most horrible face possible.  Tom seemed to have been trapped into the frame against his will by the other two, but had been caught mid laugh.  Whatever annoyance Hardy had just finished stroking to life dissipated rather quickly.  "Soppy knob." She mumbled, running a hand over her face.                                      


	6. Cloudy

A week passed right underneath their noses.  

Even with Louise identified, the case ground to a halt.  Again.  The station also managed to catch two robberies and another domestic assault case.  Patrolmen muttered about the town going to shit.  More seasoned officers kept looking over the details of the Shakespeare strangler.  Nothing would be the same till they found out what happened to Louise Hugo and the James family.  

A tabloid managed to break the young family's cover on Wednesday morning.  Somebody from the police station in Bath had opened their fat mouth about names and locations.  An early morning TV spot had a myriad of journalists hounding the hotel by noon, all of them scrambling for the first interviews.  Ellie pulled a brilliant move and got the young women and the kids back to their home without attracting suspicion while hotel security sent the vultures on their way again.    

Come Friday night nobody was able to relax any.  Fred and Daisy abandoned the house entirely, joining up with some friends for a bonfire on the beach.  It was a little community shin-dig, police presence patrolling the perimeters.  Everyone in town was nervous too.  Ellie let Fred flip between obnoxious telly cartoons.  Random details kept racing through Hardy's head.  He paced.  He sat at the dining room table and took out a legal pad, making bullet points of all the things irking him.  He occasionally tore off a sheet and started again.

 

_Louise Alexandria Hugo._

_19 years old.  Orphaned at 10.  Kicked out of Aunt's @ 15 for girlfriends._

_Bath Homeless Youth Shelter.  Spotless room.  No struggle._

_P_ _art time drug store.  Part time lounge singer.  Bank assets in place._

_Cameron Leeds doesn't exist.  All previous victim families communicated w/ different reporters._

_All interviews appear in same publication.  Publication only appeared on single blog for a few months._

 

"Alec,"  

"Hmmm?"  Ellie perched on the edge of the table next to him.    

"Anything?"  He shook his head miserably.  She reached for his hand and replaced the pen with her fingers.  He squeezed them back.  

"I keep thinking about the poetry too."  He scratched at his jaw with his free hand.  

"Wasn't your handwriting analyst supposed to give you something Monday?"

"Took more time than she thought.  She emailed me yesterday.  I haven't told anyone yet."  He sucked in a breath.  "In her opinion they're very similar, but not the same hand.  One person wrote the first three, another wrote Louise's."

"That explains the different styles then."

"Aye.  The Petrarchan sonnet isn't even original."  

"Really?"  Hardy abruptly sat back, craning his new to check on Fred.  The boy was completely absorbed in his program.  He stood and led Ellie upstairs.  Their bedroom wall still held the post-it note mural of case information.  He crossed his arms after pointing to the photocopies of the poetry.  She wrapped her arms around his waist and watched over his shoulder.  He leaned into her tiredly.          

"The first killer used Shakespearian format and wrote his own poetry.  The writing is so small and cramped you can only make out phrases here and there.  The  Petrarchan is slightly more legible, and an actual sonnet by Petrarch from the 1300s.  Or so I'm told."  He turned enough to watch Ellie squint and read over the notes once more.    

"Creepy inspiration that is.  The last few lines."   

 

_Being one day at my window all alone,_

_ So manie strange things happened me to see, _   
_As much as it grieveth me to thinke thereon._   
_ At my right hand a hynde appear’d to mee, _   
_So faire as mote the greatest god delite;_   
_ Two eager dogs did her pursue in chace. _   
_Of which the one was blacke, the other white:_   
_ With deadly force so in their cruell race _

_They pincht the haunches of that gentle beast,_

_ That at the last, and in short time, I spide, _   
_Under a rocke, where she alas, opprest,_   
_ Fell to the ground, and there untimely dide. _   
_Cruell death vanquishing so noble beautie_   
_Oft makes me wayle so hard a desire._

 

"Aye,"  He agreed.  "I'm convinced whoever wrote the article attacked Louise.  But even with a different killer, we're going to run into the same fucking brick wall as the other cases-"

"Why these people in particular?"  He nodded.  She pressed a light kiss to the back of his shoulder.    

"Outside of Louise...similar ages, similar hair, tattoos here and there.  Lightly religious.  Healthy, contributing individuals with no criminal records.  Why so much detail for a stranger?  And with Louise, she didn't owe anybody anything.  She was on her own.  She struggled but she was clean.  She was young."

"And my question is why Darbyville?  Why bring her so far?"  She sighed softly, running her hands up and down his sides.  "Louise and Gail are both gay, but that seems to be the only similarity."  

"I wondered if it was a personal attack on Gail for awhile."  He admitted, pinching the bridge of his nose.  "A hard scare tactic or something.  Clara shot that down.  Even when they were just getting together...their friends and family were supportive."

"And they've never seen Louise before?"  

"They didn't recognize the name."

"You should get a visual confirmation too."  He nodded agreement.

"She's had a good couple of days apparently.  She's gone a full day without breathing assistance.  They're hoping she'll wake up soon."  

"AWEC.  MUM.  PEPPA."  Ellie groaned, butting her forehead against his shoulder blade.  

"If I have to sit through one more episode of Peppa Pig I'm going to fucking lose it."  He laughed lightly, turning around and fitting his arms around her.    

"Tell him we're going out for chips and he'll forget all about it."  

"You're driving.  I want a pint."  

 

~

 

"This is my favorite way to spend a Friday night." 

"Shut up."  Clara and Gail leaned against each other tiredly in their hospital chairs.  Gideon and Scott were passed out in their laps.  Jane was dozing in her little hospital bed.  

"Maybe we should just switch out ballet for rugby, yeah?"  

"Yeah.  Breaking more bones will only make them stronger."

"Science."  They giggled, shaking their heads at their dumb luck.  Jane was definitely one of the more aggressive dancers in the beginner's troupe.  She had made it through the recital just fine.  It had taken them an hour to convince a rather grumpy social worker that she had truly fallen off the stage during the last bow.  They had to call in two additional parents with video evidence.  They were still waiting for clearance.  

"I need to stretch my legs." Clara sighed, restless.  

"Hey, do you think the Louise girl is here?"  

"Want me to find out?"

"I've been meaning to come see her..." Gail looked down bashfully, helping Clara spread their coats over two chairs so Scott could be lay down properly.  He hardly stirred.      

"I'll ask around, love.  Want a soda?"  

"Please,"  Clara bent and kissed her wife and took a stroll down the hall.  She stopped at the first nursing station and got the attention of the same young woman who had been tending to Jane.  She smiled cheerfully.    

"How's the tiny dancer?"  

"Napping away.  Can I ask you a quick question?"  

"Absolutely."  

"Is Louise Hugo still here?"  The nurses's smile faded immediately.  

"Afraid so."  

"Can you point me towards her room?"  

"Do you know her?"  

"My wife...her last name is James."  Her eyes widened.  

"So she's the one on the-"

"Yeah.  The news and everything."

"I'm so sorry.  I can't let you in obviously, but there's a window you can take a peak through.  That can't hurt anyone."  

 

~

 

"Mmmm thanks babe." Gail perked as she was presented with a soda can and a candy bar.  Gideon was sitting in the chair next to her now, playing with one of their cell phones.  Scott was yawning and stretching.  Jane was still sleeping.  Clara knelt shakily in front of her wife.  Gail immediately reached for her hands.  "What's wrong?"

"I still don't know who the hell Louise Hugo is...but that girl is straight up, LuLu."  

"What?"  

"She roughed up.  Bad.  But that birthmark on her arm.  I saw it.  It has to be her."

"Did you say anything?"  

"No.  We had to do a walk by the window."  Clara rocked back on her heels anxiously.  "No wonder she never returned those damn calls..." Gail bit down on her lip and sucked in a breath.  

"Okay.  Okay.  Jesus.  How sure are you?"

"Like ninety percent."

"They're about to release us.  They're gonna need us both to sign off on all those damn papers.  While you take the kids to the car, I'll go to the bathroom and then do a walk by.  Then we'll call Hardy."            

 


	7. Pieces

By the time Fred was in bed for the night, Daisy and Tom were back and smelling sharply of woodsmoke.  

Tom locked himself in the upstairs bathroom almost immediately for a shower.  Daisy flung herself down in a living room arm chair dramatically, giving the two glasses of wine on the coffee table a pointed look.  Hardy coughed awkwardly.  He was still sitting on the floor so he could be on eye level with Ellie, who was lying on the couch.  She rolled her eyes at him.  

"How was it?"

"Lovely actually,"  Daisy snickered.  "Have you cracked his case yet?"  Hardy raised an eyebrow and looked back at Ellie.  

"Have you cracked my case yet?"  She shrugged.    

"Not my circus, not my monkeys."

"So are we all going to get true crime story boards in our rooms?"  

"Shut up,"  All three groaned in unison as Hardy's cell phone interrupted the conversation, buzzing obnoxiously on the kitchen counter.  Daisy quickly stole his spot, curling her knees under her chin.  Ellie propped herself on her elbows and they launched into a more detailed account of the night.  He was smiling stupidly as he answered the call.  

"Hardy,"

"Hi, sorry for the late call.  This is Gail James."  The conversation was brief.  The poor woman couldn't stop stammering.  Hardy hung up and turned around.  Ellie was already getting her shoes on.  

"Be back before midnight you two."  Daisy teased, stealing a sip of their untouched wine.  

"If Fred tries to get him up-"

"I got him,"

"Thanks darling."  Alec grabbed his car keys and kissed Daisy on the head.  

 

~

 

Clara was waiting for them on the front porch of the house.  

"Sorry for-"

"Nonsense."  Ellie waved it off.  

"I've got coffee...Gail and the kids are asleep.  It's been a weird day..." They sat themselves around the large kitchen island.  Clara had several pictures ready.  She and Gail had their arms around a few kids, a pale brunette girl was laughing in the middle of them.   

"We were at the hospital tonight.  Jane took a spill at her ballet recital and needed a little cast."

"Poor thing," Ellie sighed.  

"We knew Louise Hugo was still there, probably just a floor above us.  Gail's been wanting to visit and bring flowers or something.  Bastard really did a number on her face...but there's a pretty damn distinct birth mark on her arm."  Clara pointed to the forearm draped over her own shoulder.  Hardy nodded, recognition immediate.  

"That's how the Bath homeless youth shelter identified her.  You never knew her as Louise Hugo?"

"No.  Just Lulu,"  Clara sucked in a breath.  "Gail and I's first place together was in London.  We volunteered at a youth club doing art and music classes.  Lulu was just a kid really, freshly kicked into the foster system by a shitty Aunt or something.  She was one of the older ones there so we kept her under our wing as much as we could.  She crashed on our couch when things got bad at home.  When we had to move for work and the little ones it broke our hearts.  We lost contact about a year and half ago.  She never visited us in Darbyville but we met her in London once...it seems so silly now.  I never knew her last name.  She was living in Bath?"   

"And she was doing well too, aside from the living arrangements.  She was singing and working."  Ellie interjected.  Clara smiled shakily, blinking back a few tears.  

"Good.  Gail was so shocked when she saw her.  I've never seen anyone worked over like that and we've worked in some shitty bars in our day.  Is she doing any better?  She wasn't on any breathing machines that I could see."

"I don't know much about the trauma her brain has sustained.  She hasn't stagnated though.  She's beginning to breathe on her own."  Hardy continued looking back and forth between the pictures.  Louise was a surprisingly vibrant young woman.  It was good to see her happy.  She had blue eyes.    

"Do you think we can step in as kin or an emergency contact something?  She's cut off all contact with existing family.  If she does wake up, we have another bedroom."

"I'll definitely see what can be done.  Absolutely." Hardy agreed.  "Did she have any trouble when you knew her?"

"Besides the typical shitty foster home scenario, she never mentioned anything.  It would be hard to say though.  She dated a lot, knew a lot of people too."  

"Can we take some of these pictures?  Someone might recognize this more easily than-"

"Of course." They fell quiet over their drinks.    

"What else can we help you with?  Has the window been repaired and everything?"  Ellie offered a hand.  Clara nodded and took it, beginning to visibly tremble.  

"Is my family in danger, Mr. Hardy?"   

 

~

 

Gail was wide awake, blinking slowly at the little girl in the crook of her arm.  Jane was drooling on the pillow under her chin, clinging to her tee shirt.  Her injured ankle was elevated, cast already cased with flowery stickers carefully curated by her brothers.  Gideon and Scott were snoring at the foot of the bed.  Clara quickly opened and shut the door behind her and slipped into the sliver of bed left available.  

"Hey,"

"Hi," She spooned in behind Gail and kissed her shoulder, the other woman suppressed a gasp as how tightly she was now being held.  

"Everything okay?"  

"It's Lu.  It's definitely her."  

"Jesus.  What did Hardy say?"  

"My brothers are coming over.  I called them." Gail closed her eyes, fear momentarily freezing her heart.   

"All of 'em?"

"Just Richard, Oscar, and Nick.  They'll be here in a few hours.  Hardy thinks it's a copy cat doing all this to us."

"Some fucker is-"  

"Hey, hey, hey.  Shhhh.  Just close your eyes baby.  Close your eyes.  Let me do the thinking right now."  

"Easier said than done."  

"Play pretend then."  Clara rubbed at Gail's shoulders and side till her eyes closed and her breathing calmed.     

 

~

 

"Alec,"  She reached for his hand in the car and he gave it to her, bringing their clasped fingers to rest on this thigh as she drove.  

"It still feels too random.  Too personal and too random at the same time."  He thought out loud.  "Have you ever see anything like it?"  She bit her bottom lip.  

"When I was first starting out in Broadchurch we had a man coming through town that beat a complete stranger half to death behind a pub because he felt like it.  He wasn't even drunk.  Had a good job.  Kids.  Shitty marriage though."

"Fuck,"  

"Yah,"  He brought the back of her hand to his lips briefly.  

"I'm worried we won't be fast enough."  He admitted.  "Unless we catch something as it's happening-"  

"Don't be a fuckwit. You'll get it."  She shook her head, cutting him off.  "We just need to get back on tracking down this Cameron Leeds..."                          


	8. Waking

Just thirty minutes before the alarm went off, Hardy's phone rang.  

Under his arm Ellie yawned and passed him the yelling device, mumbling something about how stupid his ring tone sounded at 4.30 in the morning.  It was just late enough to send the call to voice mail.  He gave himself a moment to wake fully before listening, having only just fallen into a deeply unsatisfying sleep three hours ago.  

"Donahue sir...Louise Hugo is awake.  She's nonverbal, but aware and communicative.  BSL fluent apparently.  We've got a translator coming in...we should be ready for an interview at six."  Hardy texted back in lieu of rousing Ellie again.    

\--- _Excellent.  I'll be there._

He let out a sigh, a great deal of tension sliding off his shoulders.  

"Are you going?" Ellie asked in a whisper, eyes still closed and face still tucked into the pillow next to his shoulder.    

"She's awake and signing.  Translator will be there at six."  

"Take a shower."  He snorted and playfully pinched her waist.  

"Care to join me?"  She opened one eye grumpily.  "I'll make it up to you."  

And boy did he.  They had just enough time to draw it out and steam up the bathroom to compensate for the frigid tile.  He had his fingers between her legs and his mouth all over hers and her neck and her shoulders.  It was damn near therapeutic when she groaned her release, one arm thrown around his neck while the other returned the favor.  

"Shit,"  He laughed in the gap of a kiss, endorphins rushing nearly audibly in his ears.  She grinned and hid her face in his shoulder, nipping sharply at his collarbone.  

"Don't be late."  

"I'm going, I'm going..."  He kissed her one more time, long and soft, before giving himself a quick once over with soap.  "I'll call you after."  

"I'll drop Fred next door and then check in with Clara and Gail." She ignored his pointedly amused expression as he got out and toweled off.  She cranked the hot water and began washing her hair.  

"You know everyone in Darbyville likes you, Ellie.  Ever since the evidence briefing you did for me-" She sensed the job proposal bubbling up again.  

"Don't get excited.  Next to you I'm a Saint."  

"Aye," She rolled her eyes as the bathroom door shut behind him.  

 

~

 

"Detective Inspector Hardy, Dr. Elizabeth Robbie."  He had only just finished tying his tie before shaking the woman's hand.  He was rather proud of himself for not spilling his black tea thus far.  

"Thank you for coming so quickly Dr. Robbie.  How long has she been up, Donahue?"

"I got a call from the physicians just a half hour before I called you...they're with her now."  They rounded the corner.  Two doctors flanked the hospital bed.  Hardly anything seemed different other than the slow disoriented blinking.  Her skin was white and pale, pale blue veins criss crossing under her puffy cheeks.  The brace around her neck had been removed.  Brown bruises stained her skin, two very obvious purple thumb prints framed her jugular.  Dark crescents underscored her bloodshot eyes and a healing lesion across her forehead was still bandaged.  She squinted as Hardy and Dr. Robbie entered the room.  One doctor left, the other pulled up a chair and pulled out a clipboard.  

"Hello Louise.  My name's Alec Hardy.  I'm an Inspector with the Darbyville Police Department.  This is Elizabeth Robbie.  She's fluent in BSL.  It's very good to see you awake."  Louise cracked a small, fragile smile.  

"Hi Lou, do you know where you are?"  Dr. Robbie began.  She signaled a yes.  "Do you remember how you got here?"  Another yes.  Her hands were slow and clumsy and her breathing was harsh, but her story was long and angry.  

 

~

 

Unable to really fall asleep again, Ellie made a rather large breakfast for the kids and called the neighbors.  They were more than willing to watch Fred for the day.  The kids joined her around nine, roused enthusiastically by the smell of bacon and pancakes.  Daisy and Tom both had plans to meet up with friends later in the day.  Ellie dropped Fred off at ten and sat herself down on her own front porch just in time to get a series of text messages from Hardy.

\--- _We've got a lead.  Will call soon._

\--- _Louise is on pain meds but awake.  Is in need of assistance._

\--- _Wants to see Clara and Gail._

She immediately rang Clara's cell.  

"Good morning!"  The other end of the line was quick, though very obviously drowsy.  

"I've got some news.  Good news as it is.  Would you like it over the phone, or in person?"

"In person would be lovely.  The kids are rather upset at the _pretty breakfast lady_ was in our house last night without them knowing."  

"Oh my god,"  Ellie laughed.

"Fair warning, three of my brothers are here now."  

"I'll come prepared then."  

"You're an angel."  

 

~

 

The man that immediately came out of the house with a cricket bat was nearly twice Ellie's size in every direction.  The intimidating physique was immediately spoiled by his quick smile.  He shouldered his bat and came to the car to help her with the box of donuts and two coffee carriers.  

"Nice to meet you Mrs. Miller.  Richard Akuna."  

"So good to meet you too."  They made their way inside and into the kitchen, which was slightly more chaotic than it was the night before.  Music was blaring from the stereo.  The triplets were seated at the bar, eagerly awaiting breakfast.  They slapped the counter and shrieked with laughter at Clara and Gail, who were dancing around dramatically to the music.  Two more massive men were bent over the stove and island, frying up eggs and sausage and harmonizing.  

"Yo fam, we got company!" Richard turned the radio down.  The boys didn't stop their beat though, drawing more shrieking from the children.  Gail and Clara froze, nearly purple with embarrassment as Ellie pressed coffee into their hands.   

"You are incredibly fast.  You met Richard then, this is Oscar and Nicholas."  Ellie got some fierce hand shaking.  

"Don't be hating on the coffee lady sis, she got the goods this morning."  

"Yah...your coffee sucks."

"Rude!"   

"ELLIE."  Gideon waved.  "Look at Jane's foot!"  Ellie rounded the counter and gave all the kids a donut to tide them over.    

"That might be the prettiest cast I've ever seen.  Did you do that?"  

"NO!"  She giggled.  "Scott did!"  

"Excellent job Scott."  

"He's out resident sticker hoarder."  Gail snorted.

"The boy's a born artist." Richard corrected.

"Ya'll go chat.  We'll take care of the lil ones."   Oscar gave his sister a nudge.  Clara gestured to the living room.  

"You're serious about the good news then?"  Gail asked nervously.  Ellie nodded quickly.  

"Louise woke up this morning."  She girls's jaws dropped.  Clara nodded, closing her eyes as she let out a long sigh.  

"Atta girl LuLu."  

"She isn't verbal yet but she was signing.  Alec went in early this morning with a translator.  She was able to give a statement.  I don't know much about that, but she's asking to see you."  The women looked at each other quickly, smiling.   

"Is that where you're heading?"  

"I'll give you a ride."  The triplets were unbothered.  Breakfast was served and their uncles were more than entertaining.  "You've got lovely siblings."  Ellie remarked as they pulled out of the driveway.  Gail snorted.  

"You should see the other three."  

 

~

 

Ellie's phone rang as she pulled into the carpark.  When she saw Hardy's caller ID she waved the girls ahead.  

Louise's bed was elevated so that she was nearly sitting up.  She had a whiteboard and a marker under her right hand.  She smiled and closed her eyes with relief as a nurse ushered in Gail and Clara.  

"Hey there stranger."  It took her a full minute but she drew a smiley face and a heart, a tear slipping out of each eye.  Gail carefully kissed her forehead and pulled up a chair.  

"Long time no see babes."  Clara carefully touched the girl's knee.  They sat in a warm silence for a few moments.  

"Did you meet Mr. Hardy?"  They got a check mark.  

"He's a good man.  He's working really hard."  Gail swallowed.  "Did he tell you...everything?"  Another check.  After a pause she added words.  

 ** _Harriet...so sorry_**   

"No, no, no.  It's okay baby.  Somebody's out here fucking our shit up.  He just dragged you in on it."  Clara draped an arm across her wife's lap.  

"You're doing so well.  You gave him hell.  Nurse said they got a ton of skin and blood out of your nails.  Hair in your teeth.  You've done everything right...that sounded really shitty, didn't it?"  Louise smiled, shrugging lightly.  

"Do you- remember what happened?"  Gail asked, knee bouncing anxiously.  Louise swiped her pinky across the white board to make room.

**_Tall man.  Nose ring.  Watched me sing._ **

**_Mopped youth club._  **

"Fuck...wait.  The London youth club?  The janitor?" 

"He got fucking fired before we left."  Louise gave them a thumbs up, unable to nod.  Her cheeks were flushed.  She took a deep breath.    

_**Psycho parents.** _

"Jesus," 

 _ **Said sorry 2.**_  


	9. Ridges

Ellie drove straight to the police station after ending the call with Hardy.  He was waiting in the car park with an armload of paper, a laptop, and two teas in takeaway cups.  Upon joining her in the car he immediately shoved a legal pad full of scribbled notes towards her and opened up some sort of database on the computer.  Ellie read down Louise's statement quickly, squinting at his handwriting.    

Louise Hugo's life in Bath was slow and repetitive.  She worked.  She sang.  She saved as much as she could.  Things were on the up-and-up, in general.    

A Thursday night pub gig was nothing out of the ordinary and a complete stranger offering her a drink after her set wasn't strange either.  She recalled chatting to this vaguely familiar man with a nose ring.  They discovered a mutual connection...the youth club in London.  Louise describes the clarity of the memory abruptly failing and a bitter taste in the back of her throat.  Drugged.  She groggily woke up in the boot of a car with her wrists and ankles tied and taped to the floor mat.  She floated in and out of consciousness over the course of the car trip, unable to decipher how long she had been stowed away.  

The effects of the drugs didn't entirely fade away until she found herself looking up at an unfamiliar sky with a stone staircase digging into her spine and hands around her throat.  She remembered his name was Arnold.  He cleaned the club.  He said he was sorry for what he was about to do, but he had to do it; something about the legacy of a good man.  

"It took a few calls but I got in touch with the current director of the youth group in London." Hardy began speaking and Ellie nearly jumped out of her skin.  "They told me their records have only a few termination records, one being a Mr. Arnold Donahue-Mason several years ago.  He had caught some pretty heated legal trouble in the neighborhood..."

"Killing small animals, perhaps?"

"He got caught with some underage prostitutes."

"And nobody raised an eyebrow?"

"He was fired as soon as it hit the papers.  A rather skilled lawyer kept him out of prison somehow...here we are."  Hardy finally located the criminal record.  "He was abandoned by both parents at a very young age and had been in and out of trouble since."  

"Haven't heard this story before or anything..."  Ellie sighed and finally looked up from the notes.  She took one look at the mug shot and let out a swear.

"What?"

"He doesn't look at all familiar to you?"  He looked comically confused until Ellie pointed to the first part of the boy's surname.   _Donahue_.  

"But he-"

"Fucking trust me.  Fix the hair, draw a mustache, that's your beloved Darbyville public servant, Officer Donahue...fucking hell Alec,"  She seized his wrist,  "You said he was one of the beat cops during the original Shakespeare Strangulations right?  That's access to case details."

"The boy grew up in foster homes and halfway houses-"  

"I'd bet money if you grew up like that, you'd try at least once to find out where you came from."  His eyes flashed.    

"What about the legacy nonsense, Ellie?"  

"It doesn't necessarily imply he knew the original killer.  I'm not saying Donahue is-"  She bit down on her lip and sucked in a breath, pensive for a few moments.  "You need to talk to him.  Immediately.  Clear up if this is his kid or not in the first place.  Is anybody looking for the bastard in the mean time?"

"Everyone between here and London has this picture."  

"Good." She released her breath.  He loosened the grip she had taken on his arm and pressed her fingers between his hands in an attempt to calm them both.  

"What does your gut say?"  

"I think it's Donahue's kid.   Definitely.   He's a bloody carbon copy.  Ignoring that though, growing up like he did it makes sense.  All he knows is that he feels odd and disenfranchised from the rest of the world.  Everyone gets hooked on something, even the macabre.  Sex, work, and drugs don't completely fulfill him but adrenaline and danger take the edge off, ergo underage prostitutes.  He gets ahold of case details somehow and absorbs them.  Then it was just a matter of waiting for an opportunity to become what he admired..."  

"Hefty amount of research, finding the James family and all the others like that."  

"It's easier than ever if you pose as an innocent journalist from a harmless sounding source."  He nodded, conceding, a small smile tugging at his mouth.  "Shut up."  She rolled her eyes  

"If you're right-"  She shrugged.  

"If I'm right, I'm right.  It's not an unusual psychology study.  We plaster it on telly dramas every day it seems."  He sighed.  

"Ellie do you even listen to yourself sometimes?  All you need it the badge and the credentials back.  You've never stopped being a detective."

"I have too!"  She took her hand back and smacked his arm.  He pointed to the evidence in their laps.  

"Have bloody not.  Even when I don't ask, you're always catching the details in the cases I work.  You're in denial.  Honestly-" She resisted the urge to get out of her own bloody car when she caught the look he was giving her.  

"What do you want, then?  I'm not coming back.  Not right now."  He dropped eye contact when he caught the tremble in her voice.  "I loved my job before Danny.  Loved it right up until we solved it.  We both know that.  I'm not ready for the social responsibility again.  I'm just not.  Why are you always on this?"  

"Because you are ready."  She shot him a deadly look.  He scrambled to finish his thought only for a moment.  "In some form or fashion I mean.  Even if it's just as a community consultant or some other bullshit title...I've never met anyone who cares so intensely as you do and that's something we need in Darbyville.  It's not Broadchurch and it's definitely not Sandbrook.  I've got a building full of barely passable police officers who just don't know how to connect the dots."  She calmed considerably, blinking at him slowly.    

"I'm going to assume you're trying to tell me something nice now."

"Aye,"  She glanced at her watch, trying to subdue the immense emotional response to his words.  He wanted her back in.  With him.  Here.      

"If you're so concerned with my advice then, you better get going.  You're the one getting paid for this.  I'm going back to the hospital."  He softened considerably as she reached over to fix his tie.  "Why the fuck did you do it like this?  The front is supposed to be longer than the back-"  He took her face in his hands and kissed her hard enough to hurt before pressing his lips to her forehead and temple.  The surge of affection had her breathless and wide-eyed as he got out of the car.  "Nutter."                                                                       


	10. The Long of It

Ellie must have dozed off at some point.  Fred's peaceful nap-breathing against her chest usually did the trick.  The child minder had thoroughly worn him out.  Next thing she knew it was dark outside and Daisy was crawling into the empty spot next to her with an amused smile on her face.  Tom was a little less graceful, vaulting to sit on the footboard and bouncing the rest of them on the mattress.  Fred barely moved in her arms.  

"Sorry,"  Ellie yawned into the back of her hand before checking her phone.  It was near eight and there were no messages from Hardy.  "Did you get dinner?" 

"Yah.  We just got in."  Tom sighed.  "Where have you been?"  

"I had to connect the James family with some nicer doctors and nurses.  Louise Hugo woke today.  She'll be needing a place to go and heal up."  

"Is she all right?"  Daisy propped herself up on an elbow and ran the fingers of her other hand through Fred's hair.  The boy began to blink, looking rather perturbed that his mother-son nap had acquired so much company.    

"Worse for wear but communicating.  Awfully nice girl.  Your dad caught a pretty strong lead.  Dunno when he'll be-" A door slammed downstairs.

"Found 'em." Tom snorted.  They all stayed quiet, listening to the confused footsteps wandering the downstairs for a full four minutes.  Daisy finally took pity, resting her head on Ellie's shoulder.   

"UP HERE DAD,"  He turned the corner and everyone immediately sat upright.  A big beautiful purple bruise was cupping his left eye.    

"Jesus,"

"Bloody hell..."  

"Daisy, get some ice please."  Ellie pressed Fred into Tom's arms and waved them out.  Daisy bolted downstairs as Ellie sat Hardy down on the edge of the bed and turned on the lamp.  He had good enough sense to not resist.  The bruising was relatively mild upon closer examination and the swelling was minimal.  There were small cuts on the bridge of his nose and near the corner of his eye.  She tried to remember if Donahue wore any rings.  "I said talk to him, not start a bleeding bar fight."  

"We weren't-"  Daisy re-entered the room with a clod of ice wrapped in a towel.  She pressed it to her father's face with a sigh.  

"Shit, dad."  He shot her a look with his good eye.  

"Thanks.  I've definitely seen worse darling."  He took the compress from her and shrugged off her fussing.    

"What did you do?"  She crossed her arms as Ellie found some disinfectant for the little cuts.  

"Pissed off Donahue's wife."  Ellie and Daisy glanced at each other only for a moment before snorting and suppressing giggles.  "What?  Getting the shit beat out of me by Donahue was horrifying but his if his wife threw the punch then-"

"You have a certain way with women Alec Hardy."  Ellie shrugged and bit down on her lip to contain her amusement, nudging his hand out of the way so she could clean.  Daisy regained her composure. 

"One might think you aren't entirely innocent in this situation..."

"You're both terrible."  He stewed and winced at the sting from the peroxide.  "Can we have a minute Daiz?"  Daisy kissed his cheek as she got up and closed the door behind her.  Ellie sat next to him indian style, nudging her shoulder into his.  

"Can you move your face?"  He gave an experimental squint.  

"Aye, I'm fine."  

"So, did you deserve it?"  He groaned and fell back, rubbing his uninjured eye with the heel of his hand.  

"I called him in.  Tried to be casual.  Just started talking about his involvement with the original murders.  He was just a beat cop and all that.  I couldn't think of how to bloody start it so I just asked about his wife and if they had any kids.  He said she had miscarried a long time ago.  I flashed the mug shot.  He flipped...apparently thought the same thing you did.  He started babbling about how he and his wife took a year long break after a pregnancy scare before remarrying.  He didn't want kids at the time.  She had gone to London by herself, told him she miscarried just before hitting the second trimester."

"A year's long enough to hide that."  

"He called her.  She came to the station.  Opened my office door for her and here we are."  

"So it is their kid then."  

"Not until a DNA test confirms it.  She brought the pregnancy to term and gave the baby up for adoption while in London.  She claims to have never seen the child, not even once.  Donahue says he can't remember ever talking to anyone who looked so much like him."

"Wow."

"Yeah.  I think she's lying though."

"Why?"

"She hit me."  He gestured to himself as if the notion was incredibly obvious.  

"You exposed an extremely painful part of her history you idiot.  She didn't even tell her own husband." He shrugged and closed his eyes as Ellie reached back to push hair off his forehead.  "And if we're being honest, you've got a bit of a punchable face.  Especially when you're being annoying." 

"I've got a what?"  He glowered at her until she snorted again.  

"It's a thing."  

"Anyway, we're petitioning social services to unseal whatever records they may have while they help us track down the little bastard.  Donahue voluntarily submitted to a property search, so I've got officers out there now.  All this, just under my nose."

"I know the feeling."  She responded dryly, turning and stretching out halfway on top of him, face tucked into his neck.  He wrapped an arm around her waist and continued icing his eye, running his fingers up and down her side in what he hoped was a soothing manner.  

"I stopped by the hospital on my way here just to wave through the window.  Louise's room was full of people, Clara and Gail brought them."

"Must have been Clara's brothers."  

"Aye.  Massive blokes.  I'm glad she had people with her.  They put her back on oxygen for a bit but she was sitting up some more and smiling."  

"Very good,"  Ellie agreed.  

"Gail walked me out.  When she gets cleared she'll be released to their care.  They're arranging to have her things brought from Bath and finding a physiotherapist for her."  

"Loveliest damn girls."

"They say the same of you."

"Shut up.  I bet Louise finds a pretty permanent home with them.  Even if she gets an apartment or something."  

"Aye,"  He pressed his chin and mouth into the top of her head while squeezing her firmly against his side.  

"We've been invited to the welcome home party...when it happens."  He added quietly.  Ellie giggled.  

"You could sound a little more excited."  

"Sorry.  Just ready to close this bloody thing."  She sobered and nodded agreement, moving enough to glance at their bedroom evidence wall.  Always neon, always mocking.  She turned again to press her lips to his jaw.    

"You're close Alec."  He turned his chin down to look at her.  She swallowed as everything went a little fuzzy around the edges.  The moment was soft and intimate and calm despite the subject matter and the lumpy towel hiding his face.  "If anything, you've got Louise's attacker and the James family's bully nailed.  I think that's all anyone could ask of you."  She felt him relax a fraction.  "Don't let the layers of it swallow you up."  His fingers stopped their restless movement.  

"Have you met yourself, Ellie Miller?"

"Oi!" She thumped his chest as he smirked.  

"DAD,"  Daisy called from downstairs.  They both jumped.  "Someone at the door for yah!" Hardy and Ellie exchanged confused expressions as they sat up in unison.  Daisy had the door open for a pretty red headed woman in a blue dress.  She was clutching a shoe box to her chest.  One of her hands was bruised.  

"Mrs. Donahue,"  Hardy greeted as politely as he could muster.  "Thank you Daisy."  He gave his daughter a gentle push towards the kitchen.  Before Ellie could invite the woman in, Hardy was gripping her wrist and gesturing to the porch furniture.                 


	11. Too Close

Mrs. Donahue perched in the rocking chair.  Hardy tugged Ellie along to sit on the porch swing.  Their surprise guest continued to fidget awkwardly, unable to speak for several beats.  

"Are you Ellie Miller?  His partner?"

"Yes.  Kaitlyn, isn't it?"

"Yes ma'am...do you just have the one child?"  

"Three.  Two more boys."  Hardy cleared his throat.  Mrs. Donahue flushed with embarrassment as she gathered her courage.  

"I'm sorry I hit you Inspector.  It was rash of me.  I'll pay whatever fine-"

"Don't worry about it."  He brushed it off calmly and she finally met their eyes, surprise painted across her features.  "Can I assume that's for me?"  She nodded, tapping the lid of the shoebox anxiously.  

"When the police showed up on our porch just now, I knew I couldn't lie anymore.  I kept this in my car anyway.  They didn't bother to check so I drove here as soon as they were done."  Hardy pulled a face at the incompetency of his officers.  Ellie elbowed him.  "You figured it out...when I left Randall, I never miscarried.  I brought the child to term and put it up for adoption.  I was young and very angry and extremely stupid, obviously.  By the time we got back together and realized how ridiculous I had been, it was too late.  I couldn't even begin to tell him, I had no idea how."  She swallowed hard and swiped away tears.

"Take your time,"  Ellie said softly.  Mrs. Donahue nodded and breathed deeply.    

"When Arnold turned eighteen, he began looking for me.  I was lucky to be at home alone when the first post came in from London social services.  We wrote each other about once a month for several years, I had the mail sent to my mother's house.  She's the only other person who knew and she took it to her grave."  

"Did you ever meet in person?"

"No sir.  He wanted to, but I couldn't bare it.  I sent him some money now and then.  He started out very polite, but he was very strange.  I guess you'll see when you read these.  He wanted to know more about his father.  I sent him news clippings and pictures now and then.  Once he asked for some of Randall's writing.  He said it would be as good as hearing his voice.  He had mentioned being interested in law so I copied one of his reports while he was out and a few of diary entries.  That's how Arnold must have found out about cases...I never realized what I was doing."  She cried for only a moment before bravely pulling herself together.  "This is absolutely everything he wrote me.  They stopped abruptly about a year ago.  I'll swear in court to the things I've just said.  I promise.  This is nobody's fault but my own...Randall had no part in this."  

"If you testify in court, there's no reason for your husband to be involved Mrs. Donahue.  He's a good man.  One of the best in Darbyville."  Hardy agreed.  Kaitlyn Donahue gave them a firm nod, the weight of several worlds still pressing on her shoulders.  Poor Randall Donahue probably had no idea what he was going to do either.  She handed over the box and left without a word, getting into the car she had parked on the curb.  They watched her leave, still slightly mystified at having the answers to all their questions handed over to them.    

"Well, that was easy."  Ellie sighed.  

"So far,"  Hardy agreed.  

"That was very nice, all those things you said to her."  He shrugged and opened the box.  Each individual correspondence was neatly folded and pinned with a paperclip.  They were thick, no shorter than four or five pages each.  "Need some help?"  

"Aye,"

"Coffee or tea?"

"Tea,"  They set themselves up in the kitchen.  Ellie quickly placed all the envelopes in a ziplock bag so fingerprints and saliva might be preserved.  Daisy had put Fred to bed so it wasn't long until the teenagers had joined them, curiosity spiked.  Tom scanned the notes his mother had been making on a few post-it notes.  

"This bloke had all the makings didn't he?"  

"Creepy,"  Daisy agreed.  "Like Hannibal Lecter creepy."  Hardy snorted and took one of the letters out of her hand.  The handwriting was big and beautiful, almost like calligraphy.  It was a damning match to the poem found with Louise.  His diction was lyrical and oddly well educated, like someone truly dedicated to literature.  

"A bit less glorious in the rest of his life darling.  When he wasn't being busted for prostitution he was mopping floors."

"Is he still out there?"  Tom wrinkled his nose.  

"Aye.  He shared a flat with four or five other people in London.  None of them have seen him for a few weeks.  I've got nearly every jurisdiction in England looking for him now."  

"Will he only do five years though?  That's what that bloke in Essex got for pushing someone into bloody traffic."  Daisy looked mildly anxious.  "And he hardly seems the type to just stop doing this.  He probably knows he didn't finish the job with Louise Hugo."  

"Grievous Bodily Harm.  I've seen people get handed sixteen for that."  Ellie interjected.  

"And if we play our cards right, he'll never walk free without someone breathing down his neck." Hardy agreed.  "Between Louise Hugo and the James family everyone will know his name.  We'll release information on the entirety of the unsolved Shakespeare cases so people will be able to identify copy cats."

"Good." Daisy sighed.  

"Glad you think so."  She swatted her father for the sarcasm.  

"C'mon Daiz.  He won't last three days in prison."  Tom snickered.  "Bet he'll get a taste of his own medicine."

"Morbid."  Ellie chastised.  

"Accurate.  Bet five quid on it."  Her son shrugged.  

"You'll probably win that one."  Hardy chimed in, "Look at this Ellie,"  One of Arnold's incredibly long letters was entirely dedicated to the Shakespeare strangler, thinly disguised by a exhaustive account of his admiration for poetry.  He analyzed the same sonnets selected for the previous victims.  It ended with the poem still pinned to Louise's clothes in the evidence room in Darbyville.  

"Got him,"  Daisy murmured from where she had been hanging off Ellie's shoulder.  

The kids eventually headed upstairs.  Ellie refolded and reorganized the letters while Hardy poured himself another cup of tea.  

"I knew you were close."  She got out around a yawn.    

"Dumb bloody luck.  The idiots I sent over wouldn't have found those.  She could have easily burned the box, kept her mouth shut, and made our job incredibly hard."  

"But she didn't."  

"She didn't."  He echoed, stepping between her knees as she turned in her stool to face him.  "It'll actually feel good to just work on the regular Darbyville shite."  She snorted.    

"Ah, yes.  Lost chickens, land disputes, cat fights-"

"Shut up."  He pinched the top of her thigh.  "I'll be in court later this week for that domestic assault thing from awhile back.  One of the brothers is suing the other for snapping his wife's nose.  Apparently she had to have her nostrils and a cheekbone reconstructed.  He wants cash compensation."  She cringed.   

"I'd sue too,"  She slid her fingers around his hip bones as he took off his glasses and rubbed at his eyes.  Despite the teasing she could tell a great deal of stress had left his body.  He might just sleep through the night tonight.    

"Thank you.  For all the help."  He kissed her forehead.  

"Fancy drawing me a bath?"  An eyebrow shot up.  He'd probably much rather be going to bed.   "I'll make it up to you."  He barked out a laugh as she turned one of his own lines back on him.  He laced their fingers together and led the way upstairs.                                                             


	12. Onward

Louise Hugo made an incredible amount of progress in a very short window of time.  Within a week of waking she was speaking again for short periods of time.  In another few days she was walking with a cane.  Gail and Cara came by once a day to sneak her junk food and bolster moral.  By week two the doctors were ready to release her.  Gail took the day off work to collect her and arrived bright and early to sign her out.  Louise smiled shakily as they stepped out into the sunshine.  

"It's pretty here."  Her voice was still hoarse and her neck was still bruised but her eyes were bright.    

"We're just a little drive from the beach when you're up for it."  She helped the younger woman into the car and stashed the one duffel of her worldly possessions into the trunk.  "Clara has the guest room all made up for you.  She's prepping the kids so they won't jump down your throat.  They're fairly...affectionate.  And a little wild sometimes."  Louise laughed lightly and looked pointedly at the photo booth strip taped to the dashboard of the car.  The family of five had managed to cram themselves into frame.   

"I can't believe you have kids.  Three of them no less."  

"Shut up.  And we've got four now, just so you know."    

"No way.  I'm going to-"

"You're going to stay in our house till you've finished all the physiotherapy at the very least.  And I want you singing just like you used to before you leave.  When you start getting cash flow again, we'll help you find an apartment where ever it is you want to go.  I've got some good relationships with a couple of mildly successful musicians thanks to the hotel.  They're always making a racket in my bar.  You're gonna take your time though.  Me and Clara decided on your behalf."  She teased as she pulled out onto the road.  Louise just reached over to hold her free hand, lacing their fingers and squeezing her hand urgently.  

"Thank you, Gail.  Really."  

"Anything for you kiddo.  We mean that."  

"It's gonna be a full house."  

"We're about half way through the adoption process with the triplets.  It's a little chaotic, but it's home."  Louise was audibly surprised when the pulled up to the house.  A crude crayon banner was haphazardly pinned to the porch eves.   _Welcome Lou!!!!!_   The message was bracketed by rainbow designs and hearts. Clara had brunch on the table and three little artists ready to meet their new housemate.  Not a bad leap from the homeless youth shelter.  

The group had an exceedingly pleasant morning.  Louise even had enough energy to help clean up.  She and Clara dried the dishes while Gail washed.  The kids were still babbling amongst each other at the table with there left over banner paper and various coloring implements.  

"Want some more good news, Lou?"  Clara nudged Louise with her elbow.  The girl was still visibly bewildered with all the luck pressed into one day.  "I got a call from Darbyville PD last night.  They've apprehended and arraigned the Mason guy.  He's currently refusing council.  We might just get a guilty plea."

"Oh thank fuck,"  Louise let Gail catch her around the waist for a fierce embrace.  

When Louise closed her eyes at night she could still feel the fingers around her neck.  She didn't dream.  She often woke up choking and gasping.  The wounds take time.  The three women knew that.  Knowing he was finished however, was certainly going to help.      

~

 

Hardy caught a rather fierce pang of deja vu while sitting on the beach with Ellie.  The sun was setting.  A few more families were scattered along the shore this time, enjoying the calm beauty of the evening.  Tom was the farthest out, kicking a football around with some mates.  Daisy was wading in the shallows with some other vaguely familiar teenagers.  Fred was clinging to her hands and splashing around, having a whale of time and making everyone around him laugh.  

"Jesus,"  Ellie swore lightly as Hardy abruptly slung an arm around her neck and pulled her against his shoulder, kissing the top of her head every so quickly.  "You scared the shit out of me, you were in another world there."  She chuckled, taking a swig of a beer bottle as she settled into him.  "Did you talk to him today."  

"Aye, for a moment.  I was running bloody press conferences most of the day."  

"Still silent?"

"Aye.  He wants to see Donahue.  They've agreed to a short meeting tomorrow morning with one of our lawyers present.  He's apparently writing some sort of statement out tonight.  Little tit relishes the drama of it all."  

"Hey,"  She touched his chin and waited for him to look down so she could kiss him.  He smiled a little despite himself, kissing her back. "You got him.  With a stolen BMW full of evidence.  It's done."  

Arnold Donahue-Mason didn't appear to have a grand, orchestrated plan after committing his first murder.  Under the floor mats and in the boot they found cash, some rather incriminating strands of hair, a few select letters from his mother, and a notebook full of half formed ideas and what appeared to be notes from the phone interviews he conducted with the families of the Shakespeare victims under his false identities.  He was quick and impulsive though.  He had eluded police for almost two weeks.  London police officers had pinched him unknowingly, only catching him trying to pick pocket tourists outside of the Tower of London.  It took him a while to give up his name, but here they were.  Darbyville and the surrounding towns were breathing a little easier now, as the cliche goes.  

"I need a holiday,"  He groaned.  

"Me too."  She snorted.  Hardy rolled his eyes.  

"You'd have to be employed first." He took a deep breath of ocean air and decided to pester the subject once more.  He winced in preparation for her response, "So if you'd just come on as a consultant sometime in the future..."  

"Only if it's interesting."  She cut him off.  He stared at her blankly, caught off guard.  

"So you've-"

"I'm entertaining the idea.  At the moment, mind you."  She dug her fingers into the sand next to her and then smoothed out the indentions.  

"Well.  That's good."  He coughed.  

"Don't be a prick, Alec.  You've basically annoyed me into it."  He raised both hands, framing her face and sealing eye contact.  

"You're persistent in everything you do Ellie.  Every person you come across gets nearly the same fierce attention.  I think it's amazing.  And it's painfully obvious that I'm better with you."  She furiously blinked back tears and stroked his forearm, fidgeting with the messily rolled sleeve just above his elbow.  

"I love you too.  Now stop bloody bothering me about it."  He was grinning like an idiot as he let her ago.  She gave him a push and went back to watching the children.           

   


End file.
